Accurate Lid with Spout for Closing a Liquid Container

ABSTRACT

A container ( 3 ) closing lid ( 1 ) whose top part forms a spout ( 2 ) provided with a sliding shutter ( 4 ) driven by a spring ( 5 ) and controlled in the displacement thereof by a pivotable opening lever, wherein additional elements are provided between the spout ( 2 ) and the lever for increasing the spring ( 5 ) pressure force and the lid is handled via a grip handle ( 9 ). The inventive lid is characterized in that at least one part of the grip handle ( 9 ), elements for fixing the lid to the container ( 3 ) and elements for permanently pressing the spring ( 5 ) are formed in an integral manner with the lid ( 1 ) in such a way that an accurate lid ( 1 ) having a simplified structural design is obtainable.

This invention relates to a precision cover with a spout for closing a liquid container, in particular for closing a paint can.

In the application considered above, the spout itself should be closed by a shutter that can be controlled by a lever so as to uncover the spout at the instant when the paint is to be poured. This spout should allow a precise adjustment of the flow and then be able to be closed again immediately to avoid any evaporation or drying of the paint.

This problem of closing covers that should perform both the function of precision-metering cover and perfectly-sealing cover has already been considered in the past as the Patent FR 2,555,141, in particular, illustrates. This document describes a precision cover with a spout for closing the liquid container of the type in which the top of the cover forms a spout with a sliding shutter acted upon by a hairpin spring whose motion is controlled by a pivoting opening lever. Additional means are provided between spout and lever to increase the pressure force of the spring that is thus acted upon in flexion and torsion for the purpose of ensuring, via the same spring, a double action of pressure and automatic re-closing of the sliding shutter, whereby said cover is manipulated via a gripping handle.

The combination of the thrusts in torsion and in flexion of a single spring resulting from the manual action on a lever exerts both a gradual resistance to the opening of the sliding shutter for an optimum precision control of the opening section and a quick automatic closing by total release of the lever, while exerting a minimum continuous pressure on the sliding shutter to ensure the best sealing. To date, this cover has been completely satisfactory. However, its production proves complex, and the number of parts that are involved in its design multiplies, for the users, the risk of losing these parts and making it necessary to replace the latter.

Such is the case in particular of the shaft that exerts a continuous thrust on the strands of the spring and allows a flexural action of said spring. This shaft, which exerts, when it is in place, pressure on the strands of the spring, which has the effect of applying the sliding shutter on the spout and applying the end of one branch of the lever in the bottom of a cavity that will be described below, is engaged in open buttonholes made in the cover. The disassembly of the cover, for example for cleaning thereof, is thereby excessively simple since it is enough to exert a thrust on the shaft to remove the ends of the shaft of the open buttonholes, which releases the spring. This extremely simple procedure sometimes results in the loss of the shaft.

Furthermore, the connection of this cover to a container is to date obtained via pivoting cams, which again increases the number of parts of such a cover.

Other, less capable covers are also described in the Patents DE-704,203 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,110.

One object of this invention is therefore to propose a cover of the above-mentioned type whose design makes it possible, while preserving the qualities of metering and the precision of this cover, to simplify the construction of such a cover.

For this purpose, the invention has as its object a precision cover with a spout for closing a liquid container of the type in which the top of the cover forms a spout with a sliding shutter acted upon by a hairpin spring whose motion is controlled by a pivoting opening lever, additional means being provided between spout and lever to increase the pressure force of the spring that is thus subjected to flexion and torsion for the purpose of ensuring, via the same spring, a double action of pressure and automatic re-closing of the sliding shutter, whereby said cover is manipulated via a gripping handle, characterized in that at least a portion of the gripping handle, the means for attaching the cover to the container, and the means for exerting continuous pressure on the spring are formed by a single part, in particular obtained from molding, with said cover for obtaining a precision cover with simplified construction.

The fact of producing means for exerting continuous pressure on the spring, the means for attaching the cover to the container, and at least one portion of the gripping handle in the form of elements obtained from molding with the cover makes it possible to greatly simplify the production of such a cover and to reduce the risk of losing parts without hampering the simplicity of the disassembly of the spring.

The invention will be better understood from reading the following description of embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a cover-container assembly in the attached state of the cover to the container;

FIG. 2 shows a ¾ bottom view of a cover according to the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a partial top view of a cover according to the invention, whereby the assembly of attached elements has been removed;

FIG. 4 shows a partial view of a rail and a can-cover assembly in the suspended state inside the rail;

FIGS. 5A to 5C show simplified diagrammatic cutaway views of means for exerting continuous pressure on the spring, and FIGS. 6A and 6B show transversal cutaway views of the container cover respectively in closed and open positions of the shutter of the spout.

As mentioned above, the cover 1 of the invention is designed for the closing of a can or other container 3 of liquid. This precision cover 1 has a spout 2 with a sliding shutter 4 acted upon by a hairpin spring 5. The motion of this shutter 4 is controlled by a pivoting opening lever 6A, 6B. Additional means 7, 8 are provided between spout 2 and lever 6A, 6B to increase the pressure force of the spring 5, thus making it possible to act upon said spring 5 in flexion and torsion. Thus, via the same spring 5, a double action of pressure and automatic re-closing of the sliding shutter 4 is obtained. This combination of the thrusts in torsion and in flexion of a single spring resulting from the manual action on a lever exerts both a gradual resistance to the opening of the sliding shutter for an optimum precision control of the opening section and a quick closing by total release of the lever, while exerting a minimum continuous pressure on the sliding shutter to ensure a good sealing of the assembly.

In a manner characteristic of the invention, the means 12 for attaching the cover 1 to the container 3, the means 7, 8 for exerting continuous pressure on the spring 5 and at least a portion of the gripping handle 9 are formed by a single part, in particular obtained from molding, with the cover 1, for obtaining a precision cover 1 with simplified construction.

In the examples shown, the means for exerting continuous pressure on the spring 5, exerting via the spring 5 a minimum continuous pressure on the shutter 4, thus ensuring a better sealing, consist either of a double square 7, as FIGS. 5B and 5C illustrate, or a T-shaped section 8, as FIG. 5A illustrates. In the first two cases, these means 7, 8 extend between the essentially parallel branches of the hairpin spring 5 that consists of a spring with two branches or strands. The branch of the T or of the square, horizontal relative to the cover 1, rests on a branch of the spring 5. Thus, the spring 5 exerts top support on the sliding shutter 4. Independently of the design retained, the vertical branch of the means for exerting pressure is obtained from molding with the cover and extends from the top of the cover, by projecting from the latter, to then be extended by a horizontal branch that is designed to exert, via the top on the strands or branches of the spring 5, a pressure that tends to push the spring 5 in the direction of the cover 2.

In the examples shown, the lever 6A, 6B for controlling the motion of the sliding shutter 4, which works with the spring 5, rests in a V-shaped cavity 13 made in the cover 1. This lever assumes the shape of a catch whose branch 6A that is inserted into the cavity constitutes a support stop of one end of the pin spring 5 with two strands. The other end of this spring 5 is coupled to the sliding shutter 4. The strands of said spring 5 are wound on shafts formed at the junction of two branches that the catch forms. During actuation of the lever in the direction of an opening of the sliding shutter 4, the strands of the spring slide under the means 7, 8 for exerting continuous pressure on the spring, moving the shutter 4 in the direction of an opening of the spout. This movement of the shutter 4 optionally could be guided in addition via slides made on the top surface of the cover. As soon as the branch 6B of the lever is released, the spring brings the sliding shutter 4 into a closed position of the spout. The operation of this lever is analogous to the one described in the Patent FR 2,555,141.

The cover 1 is attached to the container 3 by screwing. Actually, the means 12 for attaching the cover 1 to the container 3 consist of a threading of said cover 1 that allows the cover 1 to be screwed onto the container 3. Again, simplicity of construction of the assembly results therefrom.

In the same manner, at least a portion of the gripping handle 9 is formed by a single part with the cover. In the example shown, only the upper portion of the handle, corresponding to the base of the handle, is made of a single part with the cover. The remainder of the handle is made in the form of an attached part that is glued or coupled mechanically to the base of the handle combined with the cover.

Finally, the cover 1 has, on both sides of the handle 9, flanges 10 for suspending the container 3 in a rail 11 as is illustrated in FIG. 4. Again, quite obviously, the flanges 10 are made of a single part with the cover 1. These flanges thus make it possible, when the rail is provided with a number of indentations, to bring said flanges to rest against the edge of the indentation thus ensuring that the container 3 combined with the cover 1 is held in the suspended state. 

1. Precision cover (1) with a spout (2) for closing the liquid container (3) of the type in which the top of the cover (1) forms a spout (2) with a sliding shutter (4) that is acted upon by a hairpin spring (5) whose motion is controlled by a pivoting opening lever (6A, 6B), whereby additional means (7, 8) are provided between spout (2) and lever (6A, 6B) to increase the pressure force of the spring (5) that is thus acted upon in flexion and torsion for the purpose of ensuring, via the same spring (5), a double action of pressure and automatic re-closing of the sliding shutter (4), whereby said cover (1) is manipulated via a gripping handle (9), characterized in that at least a portion of the gripping handle (9), the means (12) for attaching the cover (1) to the container (3) and the means (7, 8) for exerting continuous pressure on the spring (5) are formed by a single part, in particular obtained from molding, with said cover (1) for obtaining a precision cover (1) with simplified construction.
 2. Precision cover (1) with a spout (2) according to claim 1, wherein the means (7, 8) for exerting continuous pressure on the spring (5) that ensure, via the spring (5), a minimum continuous pressure on the shutter (4) that ensures a better sealing consist of a double square (7) or a T-shaped section (8) that extends between the essentially parallel branches of the pin spring (5), whereby the branch of the T or the horizontal square, relative to the cover (1), rest on a branch of the spring (5).
 3. Precision cover (1) with spout (2) according to claim 1, wherein the means (12) for attaching the cover (1) to the container (3) consist of a threading of said cover (1) that allows the cover (1) to be screwed onto the container (3).
 4. Precision cover (1) with spout (2) according to claim 1, wherein the control lever (6A, 6B) for movement of the sliding shutter (4) rests in a V-shaped cavity (13) made in the cover (1), whereby this lever assumes the form of a catch of which the branch (6A) that is inserted into the cavity constitutes a support stop of one end of the pin spring (5) with two flanges and of which the other end is coupled to the sliding shutter (4), whereby the strands of said spring (5) are wound on shafts that are formed at the junction of the two branches that the catch forms.
 5. Precision cover (1) with spout (2) according to claim 1, wherein the cover (1) has, on both sides of the handle (9), flanges (10) for the suspension of the container (3), in particular in a rail (11).
 6. Precision cover (1) with spout (2) according to claim 2, wherein the means (12) for attaching the cover (1) to the container (3) consist of a threading of said cover (1) that allows the cover (1) to be screwed onto the container (3).
 7. Precision cover (1) with spout (2) according to claim 2, wherein the control lever (6A, 6B) for movement of the sliding shutter (4) rests in a V-shaped cavity (13) made in the cover (1), whereby this lever assumes the form of a catch of which the branch (6A) that is inserted into the cavity constitutes a support stop of one end of the pin spring (5) with two flanges and of which the other end is coupled to the sliding shutter (4), whereby the strands of said spring (5) are wound on shafts that are formed at the junction of the two branches that the catch forms.
 8. Precision cover (1) with spout (2) according to claim 3, wherein the control lever (6A, 6B) for movement of the sliding shutter (4) rests in a V-shaped cavity (13) made in the cover (1), whereby this lever assumes the form of a catch of which the branch (6A) that is inserted into the cavity constitutes a support stop of one end of the pin spring (5) with two flanges and of which the other end is coupled to the sliding shutter (4), whereby the strands of said spring (5) are wound on shafts that are formed at the junction of the two branches that the catch forms.
 9. Precision cover (1) with spout (2) according to claim 2, wherein the cover (1) has, on both sides of the handle (9), flanges (10) for the suspension of the container (3), in particular in a rail (11).
 10. Precision cover (1) with spout (2) according to claim 3, wherein the cover (1) has, on both sides of the handle (9), flanges (10) for the suspension of the container (3), in particular in a rail (11).
 11. Precision cover (1) with spout (2) according to claim 4, wherein the cover (1) has, on both sides of the handle (9), flanges (10) for the suspension of the container (3), in particular in a rail (11). 